CH 348

Younger Brother

I woke up just before the sun had risen.

「Hnnngh, this bed is hard.」

Although I can’t say it was really bad, the bed that Dante-san and Freesia-san provided in the guest rooms in the Sylphide residence wasn’t that great either.

I got out of bed and finished grooming myself, then, as if waiting for this, there was a knock on the door.

「Come in.」

「Good morning.」

「Ah, good morning, Sophia.」

The person who came in was Sophia.

「Did you sleep well?」

「I was raised in our small residence in the Royal Capital, so I was unable settle in during my first night here.」

「Is that so?」

The Sylphide family becoming nobles with territory was after Sophia had become a prisoner of war. The last time we came here, we were just in the parlor. This time, Dante-san seemed to have prepared Sophia’s room.

「Takumi-sama, I apologize.」

Sophia apologized all of a sudden. I have no idea why she’s apologizing. But it couldn’t be helped. I consoled Sophia who was thinking so.

「Sophia, you don’t have to be sorry. I understand your home’s circumstances, and they will become my father-in-law and mother-in-law too. I’d like to avoid worsening your family’s position.」

「Thank you very much.」

Dante-san, Freesia-san, and her younger brother who had been worried for over 50 years mustn’t be disadvantaged, after all.

The fact that the Prime Minister of the country had gone out of his way to visit them meant that the country’s honor was concerned.

I’m just a commoner artisan though……

Then I remembered.

「Oh yeah, I guess we won’t meet your younger brother this time either.」

「He works for the Chivalric Order of the Royal Capital, he can not spend his time so freely.」

Last time during Sophia’s visit to her parents, we did not have the opportunity to meet her brother. We would have liked to greet him before the wedding, but it can’t be helped if he’s working. We will probably meet at the actual wedding ceremony.

When Maria, Marnie, Laeva, Akane, and Lulu-chan got up, the maid came to call us for breakfast.

We headed to the dining room on the first floor, and we were informed that Prime Minister Balza had already left to return to the Royal Capital.

Now that the invitation to the ceremony had been settled, he no longer needed to be here. He apparently left early in the morning.

As ever, Dante-san’s mood was not good.

I wish he would finally get over it. At this point, he’s never going to give Sophia up.

After we finished eating breakfast and drinking tea, I talked about how it was about time we head home.

「Dante-san, Freesia-san, I think it’s time we left.」

「Oh my, then I suppose the next time we will meet is at the wedding?」

「Isn’t it still fine? If you like, how about only Sophia stay here even for a few more days?」

As soon as “left” was said, Dante-san began throwing a tantrum again.

「Father, I am Takumi-sama’s escort. Leaving his side is impossible.」

「If it’s an escort, aren’t there lots of others?」

「That is enough!」

Sophia and Dante-san’s fight ultimately began.

The last time we visited, Dante-san’s attitude was very different, so I tried asking Freesia-san why that was, and she said that last time, Dante-san didn’t consider that I would get married to Sophia because I was a human. On the other hand, since we were making our marriage greetings and focusing on the ceremony, it cemented Sophia’s marriage as a hard fact and it aggravated him into a foolish parent.

By the time Freesia-san mediated the father-daughter fight in some way or other, it was already just before noon.

And when we quickly finished getting ready to leave and left the mansion, we came face to face with an Elf that looked just like Dante-san.

「Darphy! Is that you, Darphy!? It’s been so long.」

「Oh my Darphy, you have some time off?」

「Ooh, Darphy? Is the Chivalric Order all right?」

A young Elven man called Darphy did not respond to Sophia and their parents, glowered at Sophia, then scowled at me in utter disdain.

「Why did the prisoner of war who became a slave, the disgrace of the Sylphide family come back!? Moreover, to let Humans and Beastkins into the house, Father, Mother, are you insane!?」

「Wha!?」

「Darphy! Don’t be rude to Iruma-dono!」

「Darphy! What is wrong with you!?」

Sophia was at a loss for words from the immense shock of being met with harsh words upon reuniting with her younger for the first time in over 50 years.

「To become the slave of a human, it seems you have no pride as an Elf.」

Because he was Sophia’s family, I endured in silence, but something in me snapped when I heard his excessively abusive remarks , and I answered back at Sophia’s brother the next instant.

「That’s enough! Sophia is no longer a slave! Besides, she became a prisoner of war because she was betrayed by her ALLIES! It wasn’t Sophia’s fault!」

「Don’t talk to me you human trash!」

「Darphy!」

Sophia yelled in anger when Darphy began spouting nasty remarks to me.

「What, does my wretched sister want to say her final words to me?」

「Fine! I would still tolerate if you said those words to me. But when you say such things to Father and Mother, much less Takumi-sama, I will not allow it!」

Darphy drew the sword from his hip, and Sophia readied her sword as well.

「Sophia」

「Please do not worry. This will just be a little bit of discipline.」

When I tried telling Sophia to not overdo it, she nodded and replied as she confronted Darphy.

Why did it turn out like this……